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16 May 2012

Kurleen Cooper, 36, who is five months pregnant, was yesterday attacked by three dogs.

Two of the dogs are mixed with the pit-bull breed.

The dogs tore the flesh off her left arm and bit her on the head, hands, inner leg, left ear and stomach.

She was walking along South Central Road, Pt. Fortin shortly after 8 a.m. after dropping her children to school and was heading back home.

She was passing a house owned by businessman Ronnie Maharaj when one of the dogs ran out from the property and charged at her.

Maharaj buys and sells fish and was said to have acquired the dogs after he was robbed a number of times.

The two other dogs, which are mixed with the pit-bull breed, followed and leapt on Cooper and knocked her down.

Once more, the owner of the dogs is denying it is her dogs. Usual story, as these ‘dog lovers’ fight tooth and nail to stall or prevent the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) from being proclaimed, but do not wish to be responsible for their dogs’ damages.

June Garib, Maharaj's wife, said when she left for work at 5 a.m., the three dogs, along with three others they own, were chained at the back of the house.

"When I came home I saw the dogs tied. I asked if anyone let go the dogs and they said 'no'. I don't know if it's my dogs that bit the lady."

The DDA makes it mandatory that dogs of this type must be registered and licensed (so ownership will not be questioned) and insured (to compensate for damages). I see absolutely nothing wrong in that. The DDA also says that the property must be inspected and certified as being secure enough to house the dogs. Again,there's absolutely nothing wrong with this condition.

Mrs Cooper has to thank her lucky stars that her children, ages 7 and 6 years, were not with her. She suffered bites to her head, face, ears, arms, legs and feet. The injuries to her right arm were particularly severe and she was taken to hospital in a semi-conscious state after losing a lot of blood.